India, China, US see 70% rise in energy demand: International Energy Agency

New Delhi: China, the US and India together accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the rise in energy demand, even as such demand worldwide grew by 2.3 per cent last year, at its fastest pace this decade, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday.

This exceptional rise in energy demand was driven by a robust global economy and stronger heating and cooling needs in some regions, according to the IEA report.

“The Global Energy & CO2 Status Report” also said that China remains the global leader in renewables — both for wind and solar.

Natural gas emerged as the fuel of choice, posting the biggest gains and accounting for 45 per cent of the rise in energy consumption. Gas demand growth was especially strong in the US and China.

These findings are part of the IEA’s latest assessment of global energy consumption and energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for 2018.

The report provides a high-level and up-to-date view of energy markets, including latest available data for oil, natural gas, coal, wind, solar, nuclear power, electricity and energy efficiency. Demand for all fuels increased, with fossil fuels meeting nearly 70 per cent of the growth for the second year running. Solar and wind generation grew at double-digit pace, with solar alone increasing by 31 per cent. Still, that was not fast enough to meet higher electricity demand around the world that also drove up coal use. (IANS)

Also Read: Business News